agentic-engineering

Agentic Engineering

Use this skill to turn vague engineering work into a safe, reviewable slice.

Default flow

1. Clarify only if needed

• If the task is obvious and reversible, act.
• If scope, behaviour, owner, interface, or acceptance criteria are unclear, ask one decision-driving question at a time.
• Include your recommended answer with each question.
• If the answer can be found by reading code or docs, do that instead of asking.
• Do not use clarification as a way to avoid simple work.

2. Shape the work

Convert the agreed direction into a concise requirement.

For each slice, capture:

• owner;
• target behaviour;
• likely files or surfaces;
• acceptance criteria;
• blockers;
• human-signoff status;
• required evidence.

Prefer vertical slices with user-visible behaviour. Avoid horizontal plumbing unless it is the smallest safe step.

3. Respect the lane

Use explicit roles:

• orchestrator writes the brief and judges final evidence;
• designer/spec agent explores options only when design is in scope;
• builder implements the approved slice;
• reviewer reviews adversarially;
• final judge signs off against brief, evidence, and review outcome.

Do not let multiple agents co-build the same slice unless the write sets are independent and explicitly split.

4. Design interfaces before uncertain implementation

For uncertain APIs, modules, or UI surfaces:

• ask for divergent options first;
• prefer simple public interfaces with deep internal implementation;
• avoid abstractions that hide lack of understanding;
• state tradeoffs before building.

5. Use TDD tracer bullets where risk warrants it

• Write one behaviour test through a public interface.
• Implement the minimum to go green.
• Repeat one behaviour at a time.
• Refactor only while green.
• Avoid private-method tests and mock-heavy tests that lock implementation details.

6. Turn QA into durable briefs

Capture:

• what happened;
• expected behaviour;
• reproduction steps;
• evidence;
• severity;
• candidate files or functions.